1. Field of the Invention (Technical Field)
The presently claimed invention relates to washing systems and more particularly to washing tapered towers such as wind towers.
2. Background Art
Due to ever increasing costs and pollution caused by fossil fuels, there has been a surge in alternative or renewable energy sources. One is the use of wind energy to produce electricity. This involves the use of giant wind turbines that are driven by large blade assemblies. The turbines and blade assemblies are mounted on wind towers. Typically these wind towers are several hundred feet tall with a large base and tapered to the top of the tower. The turbines are filled with oil, which typically leaks onto the tower. In addition, the towers are subjected to all types of weather conditions, which affect the appearance of the towers. Presently, washing or cleaning of wind towers is done manually with cleaning personnel riding on cherry pickers or raised platforms using brushes or high-powered liquid washing sprayers to perform cleaning operations. These methods are dangerous because the personnel are working several hundred feet from the ground and inefficient because of the amount of time needed to move the basket of the cherry picker or the platform. A system is needed whereby a wind tower can be cleaned without endangering cleaning personnel by lifting or hoisting them on the tower. The preferred system is a method and apparatus that performs the cleaning operation, while the cleaning personnel remain on the ground surface, and it washes the wind towers as effectively as the aforementioned prior art systems.